Sliced ham packaged in packets is a very practical format that you can buy in any grocery shop, but have you ever wondered what the price is for buying the ham you choose and having it sliced by hand by a professional and packaged in packets? At Jamón Pasión you have the opportunity in many of our products, especially in Iberian hams, to buy the ham of the weight you want and choose to have it cut by knife directly in the drying room by a professional cutter.
Types of ham slicing
There are basically two types of slicing to present it, whether it is a leg of acorn-fed Iberian ham or a good traditional Serrano ham:
Knife-sliced ham: This type of slicing is done by hand by a professional, cutting the slice to the perfect size and thickness for a bite. The thickness of the cut is very important, as the ham will release all its aromas and taste notes as soon as it touches the palate, without the need to chew. To know that the ham slice is the right thickness, you only need to be able to glimpse the ham knife underneath. If the slice is too thick, you will not be able to see the knife. This type of cut is usually made at the moment of consumption or very shortly before. In the Jamón Pasión shop we cut the available Iberian ham of your choice with a knife at the time of purchase and we send it to you freshly packaged.
Machine-sliced ham: In order to slice a ham by machine, it must first be boned and cleaned well, so that the blade does not find any impurities or bones. This type of slicing presents the whole slice. It is the most commonly used format in supermarkets and large supermarkets. They are usually hams that have already been sliced in the factory, so they have been packaged for a longer period of time. In our online Spanish ham shop, we have this type of cut, especially in Serrano hams, and we also slice the piece of your choice at the time of purchase.
Advantages of buying sliced ham
Yield and convenience are the main advantages. Many people prefer to buy a whole leg of ham and cut it at home as it is consumed; in fact it is a tradition here in Spain. It is also true that you can see many wasted hams at friends' or family's houses, with that typical arched shape, as cutting a ham well requires a certain skill that can certainly be learnt.
Yield or profitability
A cured ham cut by a professional will always make better use of the meat, which translates into considerably more ham to eat.
Sometimes, especially with Iberian ham shoulders, which already have a very low yield, reaching only 30% of the total weight of the piece, people who buy it for the first time may "complain" that very little meat has been obtained and that the waste was enormous. If we combine the lower yield of ham shoulders with the little experience in knife cutting at home, you can very probably have that feeling of "little meat".
Flavour, texture and aroma
As I mentioned a few lines above, for a cured ham to give off 100% of its organoleptic properties, the slice must be cut properly.
A slice thin enough so that the fat starts to melt as soon as it is introduced into the mouth without having to chew it, but with the right thickness so that it does not break while being cut, is the right size for the ham to release those characteristic notes and nuances, especially if we are talking about an Iberico acorn-fed ham, where we will be able to appreciate the flavours and aromas of nuts and acorns.
A slice that is too thick will force us to chew as soon as we put it in our mouths, without the fat that is so highly prized in hams being able to melt on the palate.
Conservation
On the basis that a whole leg of ham will keep well for quite a long time as long as you keep it properly, it is true that as the weeks go by, the meat hardens, dehydrates and loses its properties.
The Sliced pork shoulder and Iberico ham, whether you have chosen to cut it with a knife or by machine, as it is vacuum-packed, normally in 100g sachets, you will be able to keep it in the fridge without it losing any of its properties and consume it at your own pace. Once the sachet has been opened, you have to cover it tightly with cling film so that the cold in the fridge does not dry out the meat. But I doubt very much that 100 gr. of ham will last that long.
Convenience
Even if you are a ham slicer, you can't deny that it is much more convenient to open the packet of ham and get a perfect slice, than having to cut it, clean the rusty parts of the leg, cover it again and clean the ham knife for the next time.
The issue of space is also important. Some kitchens do not have enough space, especially not enough depth on the worktop, to be able to place a ham holder and the ham. Bear in mind that an Iberian ham can easily measure 90 cm.
How much does it cost to cut or slice a Spanish ham?
Slicing a ham with a knife by a professional can take around 2 hours, apart from the time it takes to vacuum pack each packet.
Normally the price for slicing an Iberian shoulder ham is around €30 and for an Iberian ham around €50 - €60. I refer to Iberian hams, because Serrano hams are not usually requested this type of cut, as the price of the service is almost the same as that of the whole ham. Serrano ham is usually sliced by machine and the price ranges between 20€ and 30€.
If you are not very skilled at slicing ham, you don't have space at home for a ham stand or you simply don't feel like it and you go to the practical ones, at Jamón Pasión we offer you the possibility of buying a Spansih hams and we will slice them for you at the moment so that you receive them at home with the best possible quality.